Ladder or ramp for boats



Jan. 2, 1951 c. R. TELLER LADDER 0R RAMP FOR BOATS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June \15, 1947 A Inventor Clarene Roy Teller By Qwaish.

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Patented Jan. 2, A1951 UNITED STATESA PATENT OFFICE LADDER R FOR BOATS Clarence Roy Teller, Duluth, Minn. Application June 13, 1942, Serial No. 754,382

2 Claims. (Cl. 228-44) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in retrieving ladders or ramps for hunting dogs entering or leaving a boat and more particularly to a folding ladder or ramp of this character adapted for attaching to the side Si of a boat and also adapted for converting into ,a back rest for use in the boat.

A further object of this invention is to provide means, for easily and quickly attaching the ramp or ladder to the side of a boat and including a construction whereby the ramp or ladder may be folded into a compact form for conveniently handling or storing the same, when not in use.

Another object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is strong and durable, eflicient and reliable in use, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the ramp in position at the side of a boat;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the ramp in extending form removed from the boat;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view'of the ramp in folded position;

Figure 5 is a perspective View showing the device converted for use as a back rest, and;

Figure 6 is an end elevational view of the ramp in folded position.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention the numeral 5 designates the ladder orramp generally which is composed of a plurality of foldable sections and including an inner end section 6, an

outer end section l and an intermediate section 8.

Each section of the ramp or ladder includes a pair of spaced parallel side rails El connected by transversely extending slats I0, the slats being arranged in spaced parallel relation with respect to each other. The rails 9 and slats I0 may be constructed of wood, metal or other suitable material.

The adjacent ends of the side rails 9 are formed.

with flat apertured heads II with the side rails of one section overlapping the side rails of an lil) adjacent section and pivotally connected to each other by bolts and nuts or similar fastening devices I2 whereby upon a loosening of the bolt or nut the sections may be folded one upon the other as shown in Figures 4 and 6 of the drawings, or by tightening the bolt or nut the sec- -tions may be secured rigidly in an annularly disposed position with respect to each other as shown in Figures l and 3 of the drawings.

To the inner end of the inner section 6 of the ramp are pivotally secured a pair of rods I3 by bolts or the like I4, each of the rods being formed with longitudinally spaced apart openings I5 in which angle bolts I5 are selectively inserted and provided with wing nuts Il for clamping under the lower edge of a splash shield It usually provided at the inner edge of the decking I9 of a boat 20, the angle bolts I6 clamping the rods I3 in a vertical position against the inner side of the splash shield while the inner section 6 of the ramp or ladder extends outwardly above the decking where the intermediate section 8 of the ramp or ladder extends downwardly at the side of the boat and the outer section l of the ramp is supported horizontally slightly below the surface of the water as shown in Figure 3.

By attaching the ramp or ladder in this manner a hunting dog may conveniently leave the boat to retrieve a fallen bird and upon returning may walk upon the outer section 'i of the ramp, climb the intermediate section 8 and walk into the boat over the inner section t. To facilitate the walking of the dog over the inner section 6 the slats 2| thereof are inclined with respect to the longitudinal side rails to position the slats horizontally when the inner section is supported in an inclined position as shown in Figure 3.

When the device is not attached to the side of the boat for use as a retrieving ladder or ramp the sections thereof may be folded to position the outer section 'l and intermediate section 8 at right as a seat and back rest as shown in Figure 5.

o board or height of the side of the boat to which the ladder is attached and includes telescoping rail sections 22 and 23, the section 22 having lon- Y Q- gitudinally spaced openings 24 and the section 23 having a locking pin 25 selectively received in said openings to hold the sections tov each other in vertically adjusted position.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. A foldable ladder adapted for use with small boats having a cockpit and a decking between the cockpit and the side of the boat, said ladder comprising an outer horizontal section positioned in the water, an inner horizontally inclined section adapted for resting on the deck of the boat, and an intermediate vertically inclined section positioned at the side of the boat, means connecting the sections to each other in end-to-end relation and in swingably adjusted position with each other, said sections including side rails and spaced parallel cross slats connected to the side rails, the plane of said slats of the inner section being inclined from the axis of the side rails thereof to lie horizontally, and attaching means for the inner end of said inner section to secure the same to the edge of the cockpit on the inside of the boat.

2. A foldable ladder adapted for use with small boats having a cockpit and a decking between the cockpit and the side of the boat, said ladder comprising an outer horizontal section positioned in the water, an inner horizontally inclined section adapted for resting on the deck of the boat, and an intermediate vertically inclined section positioned at the side of the boat, means connecting the sections to each other in end-to-end relation and in swingably adjusted position with each other, said sections including side rails and spaced parallel cro-ss slats connected to the side rails, the plane of said slats of the inner section being inclined from the axis of the side rails thereof to lie horizontally, a pair of rods pivoted to the inner ends of the rails of the inner ladder section to extend downwardly into the boat at the edge of the cockpit, and clamps carried by the rods and engaging the edge of the cockpit.

CLARENCE ROY TELLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 298,212 Knight May 6, 1884 867,020 Devan Sept. 24, 1907 1,314,769 Toth Sept. 2, 1919 1,603,638 Phillips Oct. 19, 1926 1,721,521 Marschke July 23, 1929 2,187,633 Smith Jan. 16, 1940 2,343,123 Dahlander Feb. 29, 1944 2,485,413 Ross Oct. 18, 1949 

